HOLIDAY ALE

Holiday Ale, a Winter Warmer by New Belgium Brewing.

12 ounce can served in pint glass • 7.5% abv. • ***½

The pour is a ruby red body with an ivory head.

The main flavors are tree bark, cinnamon, other spices, tart cranberry, and dark fruits. 

Medium mouthfeel. It has a sweet start then dries on the finish with bark and spices.

I like it, but other than the cranberry the flavors make it feel too similar to Jubelale. And, if I'm going to have a Jubelale, then I want to have a Jubelale.

2023 ADVENT BEER CALENDAR

Hösl Märzenbier. Advent Beer Calendar day six.

500 ml/16.9 oz. • 5.3% abv. • ****

Marzen was my "gateway" beer out of big brewing and into craft brewing, so it always holds a special place for me as a style.

The pour is clear golden yellow. It's capped with a finger-thick white head.

Flavors include pretzel dough, leather, beef broth, apple, light leafy bitterness, light spices, and a "clean" airiness.

The mouthfeel is medium. Sips open leaning toward sweetness and then end with a medium-length lightly bitter finish.

This is very enjoyable.

2023 ADVENT BEER CALENDAR

Erlkönig Hell. Advent Beer Calendar day five.

500 ml/16.9 oz. • 5.0% abv. • ***

Another Hell!

The flavors are intriguing but overall the taste waffles a bit and feels slightly unbalanced. Hay, lemongrass, leaves, sage, savory, white pepper, leather.

Medium mouthfeel. A drying finish with most of the bitterness being spicy and herbal. 

THE VIOLENCE of CLIMATE CHANGE

I attended "The Violence of Climate Change" by Dr. Kevin O' Brien, professor of religion and environmental ethicist at Pacific Lutheran University. His presentation was hosted by Christ Episcopal Church of Tacoma.

He posed two main questions to us:

1. How should Christians respond to climate change?
2. What kind of problem is climate change.

He tackled the second question first, and admitted that it was so complex that anyone who claimed they completely understood climate change is lying. Instead we defined it as a multifaceted problem:

• It's a justice problem.
• It's a youth movement.
• It's a problem of colonialism.
• It's a religious problem.
• It's a political problem.
• It's an economic problem.

But, more importantly, it's a "wicked problem." That means that climate change (a) has no single definition; (b) adapts and changes across time and space; and (c) has no ultimate solution, although it embraces many responses.

And, climate change is a problem of violence. Creation bears our violence. Creation suffers our violence. Climate change is destroying homes, destroying land, destroying livelihoods, hence, it is violent. Ultimately, climage change is a problem of structural violence.

Some symptoms and problems of structural violence:

• All are complicit, but not equally so.
• Those who perpetrate and benefit from violence are often unaware of it.
• Multiple forms of violence intersect. 

To answer the initial question of "How should Christians respond to climate change?" Professor O'Brien highlighted the mission and ministry of two examples of pushing back against structural violence: Martin Luther King Jr. and Dorothy Day. These two modern-day prophets were shown to be beacons of hope in a difficult issue that can birth a lot of despair. But MLK and Day also didn't puch back against the extremes of the problems but those in the "middle" or mainstream.

"If you are fighting the extreme, you are more likely to feel the despair I'm talking about."

—Kevin O'Brien

In a call to action, we were reminded that because problems intersect, they need to be confronted by coalitions!

WU SONG

Tonight, I learned a new set of relaxation techniques in Shaolin Qigong: Wu Song (Five Loosening Methods). Afterward, I first felt like I'd been "beat up" but within a short amount of time did indeed feel relaxed. I slept like a baby.

The five methods were Shou Song (hands), Xiong Song (chest), Fu Song (belly), Tun Song (buttocks), and Tui Song (legs). When working on a particular area, those muscles felt like they were on fire and the release at the end was wonderful.

I laughed through most of Tun Song, as we were imagining cracking a walnut with our buttocks, and ensuring our insides didn't leak out.

This is a good tool/resource to have in my "box" of martial arts workout routines.

2023 ADVENT BEER CALENDAR

Helle Aufregung. Advent Beer Calendar day four.

500 ml/16.9 oz. • 5.0% abv. • ***½

A giant white head, which mostly sticks around, floats on top of a clear straw yellow body.

On the nose, there are raspberry and floral notes. On the tongue, there is grains, grass, an ephemeral antiseptic spice, and a whisper of flower petals.

Medium mouthfeel. Each drink starts with a crisp bite, then a bit of grassy sweetness, and finally a medium-length bitterness.

This is good. I just wanted it to be a bit more.

2023 ADVENT BEER CALENDAR

Kurpfalzbräu Kellerbier. Advent Beer Calendar day three.

500 ml/16.9 oz. • 5.0% abv. • ****

The pour presents as a clear straw yellow body and a finger-thick white head that quickly dissipates.

Flavors are graham cracker, (indeterminates) spiciness, leaves, light citrus, and pear.

The mouthfeel is medium. Each sip starts a bit sweet and then delivers a short finish.

This is excellent. The most intriguing piece is the flavor of pear lingering beneath everything.

SUNDAY NEW YORK TIMES

The two week, ten store quest to locate a copy of the Sunday edition of The New York Times in my area is complete. A paper is finally secured!

Why is this such a difficult task?

I appreciate the physicality of a newspaper. I don't want to read it online.

And home delivery isn't a viable option. The company that distributes for them can only get it delivered to me half the time, at best.

2023 ADVENT BEER CALENDAR

Käuzler Helles Lager. Advent Beer Calendar day two.

500 ml/16.9 oz. • 5.2% abv. • ****

The pour is clear light yellow capped with an inch-thick white head.

A plethora of flavors mix and match. Biscuit, floral petals, grains, light and leafy bitterness, honey, sage, a hint of white pepper.

Medium mouthfeel. An initial lightly bitter bite leads mellows into a medium-length finish of leafy bitterness.

I like this immensely. It's nicely balanced, complex, and very drinkable.

2023 ADVENT BEER CALENDAR

Falter Export Hell. Advent Beer Calendar day one.

500 ml/16.9 oz. • 5.3% abv. • ***½

If we can jump from Halloween to Christmas as a culture, then I can surely start my 2023 Advent Beer Calendar early.

The pour is clear buttery yellow with a thick white head, the latter of which leaves behind a lot of lacing.

Biscuit, lemongrass, grains, bitter leaves, and the faintest antiseptic bite of Seabreeze. 

Crisp intro leads into a longish bitter finish. Good.